hopkins



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. I

G. M. & I. N. HOPKINS.

GA$ ENGINE.

No. 826,562. Patented Sept. 22,1885.

N. PETERS, Phflb-Lilhognpher, Wnhinghm, D. C.

(N0 Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. M."& I. N. HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE.

Patented Sept, 22, 1885.

N. FETERs Pmwmhg nw". wi-mmmuc.

(No Model.) 5 SheetsSheet 3.

G. M. 82; I. N. HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE. V No."3 26','562. Patented Sept. 22. 1885.

' 1/ III II/II N. PETERS. Photo-Lithograph". Wmhinglnn. n. c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

G. M. & I. N. HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE No. 326,562. Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

wayzrwaaw. I fizz/anion fi/ N. PETERS. PhalvLilhogmpher, Washington, ac.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G. M. 85 I. N. HOPKINS.

GAS ENGINE. .No. 326,562. Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

ETERS. PhowLflhognphen Waahingion. QC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. HOPKINS AND I. NEWTON HOPKINS, OF BROOKLYN, Y.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPBCIFICATIONforrning part of Letters Patent No. 326,562, datedSeptember 22, 1885.

Application filed July 2, 1885. (No model.)

ToaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE M. Horxnvs and I. NEWTON HOPKINS, both ofthe city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a side elevationof our improved engine. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a centralhorizontal section. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken online w a; in Figs. 1 and 3. Fig. 5 is aside elevation showing therelation of the ignition-burner to the ignition-aperture. Fig. 6 is avertical transverse section of the ignition-burner. Fig. 7 is a frontelevation of the air-pipe. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified formof the engine, and Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on line g yinFig. 8.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivegas-engine for the smaller uses for which motive power is applied and itconsists in the con1bination,with acylinder having an ignition-aperturein one side thereof and an aperture in the opposite side for receivinggas and air, of a piston which is prolonged within the cylinder andprovided with apertures in the opposite sides thereof, the saidprolongation acting as a valve for the admission of the explosivemixture of gas and air and for the entrance of the ignition-flame.

It also consists in the combination,with the piston having aprolongation acting as the valve, as above described, of a deflectorplaced within the piston and adapted to deiiect the ignition-flamebackward toward the closed end of the cylinder and into the mostinflammable portion of the explosive mixture contained in the piston.

It also consists in providing an auxiliary air-port in the cylinder andin the piston,and in the combination,with the cylinder and pistonprovided with a port for the admission of the mixture of gas and air,andhaving an auxiliary port for the admission of air,of adoubleinduction-tube, one portion being arranged to receive the mixture of gasand air and the other to receive air only.

and a wire-gauze chimney inclosing the auxiliary jet and the platinumspiral.

The cylinder A is mounted on the base B,in one end of which are thejournals of the crank-shaft G. g The cylinder A contains apiston, D,having a hollow cylindrical prolongation D, whoselength is a littlegreater than that of the stroke of the engine. The forward end of thepiston D is connected by a connecting-rod, E, of the usualconstruction,with the crank O of the crank-shaft O.

In one side of the cylinder, at a point in the stroke of the piston atwhich an ignition of the combustible contents of the cylinder and pistonis desired, is formed an ignition-aperture, a, and a similar thoughsomewhat 1011 or aperture, a, is formed in the prolongation D of thepiston D. Within the prolongation D, of the piston D,and oppositetheignition-aperture a, is secured a deflector, b, which is inclined tothe axial line of the cylinder at an angle of about sixty degrees, sothat the flame of the ignition-burner, entering the ignition-aperaturesa a, is deflected toward the open end of the cylindrical prolongation ofthe piston D.

Opposite the ignition-aperature a, in the side of the cylinder A, isformed a port, a, for receiving the mixture of gas and air into thecylinder, and in the prolongation D of the piston D is formed a port, 0,which passes the port 0 in the cylinder during the early part of theoutward stroke of the piston D, so that as the piston D moves forward bythe momentum of the fly-wheel attached to the crankshaft (J, the mixtureof air and gas is drawn in through the ports 0 0 until the port 0 isclosed by the prolongation D of the piston.

In the same side of the cylinder A in which the port 0 is formed, andpreferably below the said port, an auxiliary air-port, d,is formed inthe wall of the cylinder, and a corresponding port, (1, is formed in theside of the prolongation D of the piston, so that the said port cl isopened and closed in unison with the-opening and closing of the port 0.Air is only admitted through the ports d d. to the cylinder, the objectbeing to dilute the explosive mixture contained in the piston andcylinder by admission of an extra portion of air and also to insure thebetter mixture of the air and gas drawn into the piston and cylinderthrough the ports a 0.

An air and gas induction-tube, F, attached partition, f, into two parts,9 h.

apertured valve-seat, a, near the port a, op-

posite which, onthe side next to the cylinder, 1 is suspended aflap-valve, j, upon the screw k, the valve being arranged to hangnormally a ing the period of exhausting the products of open.

The gassupply pipe 1 communicates with, the part h of the tube F nearthe valve-seat t.

The part of the tube F communicates with the port (1 in the cylinder.

der of the engine.

supporting the ignition-burner 0. 71, between the pipe Z and the burnero, is a regulating-cock, 19, between which and the burner 0 there is abranch pipe, q, terminating in a burner-tube, r, having supported aboveit and concentric with the orifice of the burner a small platinumspiral, s, the platinum spiral being attached to a ring, it, which slipsover the burner-tube.

The platinum spiral s and the flame burning from the tube are protectedby a wiregauze chimney, to, which admits air to the burner, but preventsgusts of wind from extinguishing the flame.

' cated relative to the end of the pipe F and t the burner 0, so thatshould the flame of the burner 0 become extinguished it would be relitby the flame of the burner r, and if the engine from any causeshouldcease to act, and

gas should flow from the pipe F, it would be ignited and consumed, thuspreventing its v escape into the room.

The cylinderhead A is cast integrallywith the exhaust-valve e, and apassage, f, leads from the interior of the cylinder to the port Thegas-supply pipe Zextends through the base 13, and is provided with aregulating-cock, m, for controlling the supply of gas consumed in thecylin- The burner r is 10- The water preferably enters the stop-cock wat the bottom of the cylinder, and is discharged from the pipe w at thetop of the cylinder.

The operation of our improved engine is as follows: By imparting motionto the fly-wheel of the engine in the direction indicated by the arrow,the burner 0 being lit, and gas being allowed to flow into the part h.of the tube F, the outward movement of the piston D draws in the mixtureof gas and air from the part h of the tube F through the valveseat z andports a a into the interior of the piston D. At the same time air entersthe interior of the piston through the part g of the tube F through theports (I d. The mixture drawn in through the port 0 is at first verystrong, owing to the accumulation in the tube F of gas during the latterpart of the previous forward stroke and durcombustion from the cylinder.After the strong mixture is drawn into the cylinder, owing to thecomparatively slow but continuous flow of gas through the pipe I, themixture entering the cylinder subsequently becomes weak and uniform.Wheuthe cylindrical prolongation D of the piston D closes the ports 0 d,the ignition-aperature a in the side of the piston D coincides with theignition-aperture a in the cylinder, and the flame of the burner 0 isdrawn into the cylinder and deflected toward the open end of-thecylindrical prolongation D of the piston by the deflector b, so that theflame is carried into the richest portion of the explosive mixturecontained by the hollow piston. An explosion then follows, and thepiston is driven forward to the extreme forward end of its stroke, whenthe occentric h will open the exhaust-valve and allow the products ofcombustion to escape through the exhaust-passage f during the entirereturn-stroke of the piston. When the port 0 in the piston coincideswith the port 0 in the cylinder on the return-stroke -of the piston,some of the products of combustion escape into the port a, but areprevented from entering the body of the pipe F by the flapvalve j,- butas the pressure of the gases contained by the cylinder is nearlyexhausted by the time the ports 0 d arrive at the ports 0 d very littleof the products of combustion es-' cape in that way. When the pistonarrives at' the inner end of its stroke, the exhaustvalve closes andanother portion of the mixture of gas and air is drawn in through theport 0, another volume of air is drawn in through the port d, and theoperation justdescribed is repeated.

smaller engine the tube F is not divided longitudinally, and it isprovided with no flapvalve. The port (I of the cylinder communicatesdirectly with the external air, and does not enter into any tube, as inthe other case. The ignition-burner 0 is a simple Bunsen burner, and isprovided with no auxiliary burner for relighting it, as it is found inthe small engine the ignition-flame is never extinguished.

The operation of the engine shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to thatshown in the other figures. Gas being admitted to the tube F by theregulating-cock m and to the burner o by the regulating-cock 10, theburner 0 being lit, the fly-Wheel is turned in the direction of thearrow, drawing in the explosive mixture from the tube F, air through theport d, and, finally, the ignition-flame through the ignition-aperturesa a, When explosion follows, driving the piston forward to the outer endof the stroke.

The exhaust-valve e is operated in the same manner as in the other case.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, in a gas-engine, of a cylinder having ignition andair and gas inlet ports, and the piston provided with a cylindricalprolongation having formed in it ports corresponding with the ports inthe cylinder, and a deflector placed within the ignitionaperture of thepiston and arranged to deflect the ignition-flame toward the open end ofthe cylindrical prolongation, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination, in a gas-engine, of a cylinder, A, having theignition-port a, gas and air inlet port a, air-inlet port d, and thepiston provided with a cylindrical prolongation, D, and provided with anignition-aperture, a, and ports 0 d, a tube, F, communicating with theport 0, and opening underneath and in the vicinity of theignition-burner,substantiallyas and for the purpose herein specified.

3. The combination, with the air and gas induction pipe F, of avalve-seat, z, and a normally-open valve, j, and a gas-supply pipe, Z,entering the induction-tube F outside of the valve j, as hereinspecified. 7

4. The combination, in a gas-engine, of a cylinder, A, having in oneside thereof an ignition-port, a, and in the opposite side ports 0 d,for the admission of gas and air, a tube, F, divided longitudinally by apartition, f, forming a passage, q, for the admission of air through theport d, and a passage, h, for the admission of air and for thecontinuous reception of gas, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination,with the igniting-burner 0, of an auxiliary burnerhaving a tip, 1", a platinum spiral, s, concentric with the tip, and aprotecting-chimney, a, of Wire-gauze, for relighting the burner 0 whenextinguished, and for lighting the gas issuing from the mouth of theinductioupipe F, as herein specified.

GEO. M. HOPKINS. I. NEWTON HOPKINS.

Witnesses:

DAVID K. CASE, H. O. HAGEN.

